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Limasunep Jamir launching GPS vehicle tracking system in Dimapur on Friday as Moa Sangtam and its programmer Sariyongba B Longkumer look on. (EM Images)[/caption]
Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, March 22: In an attempt to ensure efficiency and consistency while carrying out its work, the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) has launched ‘global positioning system (GPS) vehicle tracking system’ for its vehicles.
GPS, a satellite-based radio-navigation system, was launched by the commissioner of police Dimapur, Limasunep Jamir on Friday at DMC office, Marwari Patti in Dimapur.
DMC administrator Moa Sangtam said that despite introducing the door-to-door collection of wastes on August 2017, there were complaints from the citizens that there the vehicles do not turn up regularly while the staff claimed that they were prompt in delivering their duty.
“This system is an in-house design and mostly this is meant to check our own staff and also to ensure that the citizens get the services,” said Sangtam.
The DMC administrator initiated the GPS tracking system to erase the confusion between his staff and the citizens. He said that 25 DMC-owned vehicles, including dumpers and cesspool trucks (aka sewage suction truck) has been fitted with the technology.
“We are not in a position to check all the vehicles everyday so we finally decided this process to maintain consistency,” he maintained.
Sangtam announced that the DMC is trying to become a ‘smart municipal.’ To support his statement, he said that the council had launched its website on 2017; provided online trade license payment facility, and also started the biometric attendance even before Nagaland government announced it.
Parallel to the GPS tracking system, Sangtam said that the council has also developed a system of disseminating information through short messaging services (SMS). “So if you message any of our staff in our office, we are in a position to send out SMS,” he added.
The administrator announced that there is an on-going project which will be completed in one or two months’ time. “We are also making our house rent payment online very soon which is done by symbiosis; right now, it is in the verge of completion,” he announced.
Sangtam also lamented that the beneficial services like online payment system provided by the council are not fully utilised by the citizens. “So far, we found that despite our effort to make our DMC smart and more accessible to the citizens, the services are not being utilised to the fullest. Only few people make use of the announcement that has been given out,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, Jamir lauded Sangtam for his innovation in carrying out public service works more effectively. He was of the view that it (use of technology/innovation) will bring cost effectiveness, transparency and accountability besides providing better service to the people.
He said that such innovation is a two-way process wherein the government provides the benefits and the citizens work hand-in-hand in making good use of the resources.
He also expressed optimism that the new technology will improve service-delivery mechanism and the DMC will come up with better services for the people in the future.